QRC raises $10,000 for IFRC Ebola effort

Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) was one of the first organisations to respond to the emergency appeal issued by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) last week to raise approximately Swiss Francs (CHF) 2.8mn over nine months to combat the recent outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in West Africa, according to a statement.

In response, Qatar Red Crescent contributed $10,000 to the International Federation’s endeavours to provide relief to the countries in African that are at risk in partnership with several other international organisations, particularly Médecins Sans Frontières, World Health Organisation (WHO) and Unicef, as well as national governments in host countries.

Qatar Red Crescent’s initiative comes as part of its constant support for humanitarian efforts worldwide and its active role under the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the statement adds.

The aim of the appeal is to strengthen and scale up operations support, co-ordination, communication, capacity building and preparedness for at-risk countries in the region, and to prepare for the potential spread of the Ebola outbreak to other countries in Africa and beyond.

In the same vein, QRC medical officials are currently preparing educational fliers in Arabic, English and Urdu to inform Qatar nationals and residents about the nature and causes of Ebola and how to prevent it, particularly by sticking to personal hygiene standards and healthy practices.

According to World Health Organisation, as on August 22, there were 2,615 suspected cases, 1,427 deaths and 1,528 confirmed infections in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

EVD can infect humans by direct contact with the blood, excretion, organs or any other body fluids of an infected animal. Infections were documented in Africa from chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, fruit bats, forest antelopes and porcupines found sick in rainforests.

Later, Ebola fever spreads within community members through direct contact with the blood, excretion, organs or any other body fluids of an infected person.